Are We Real?
by Mockingjay1804
Summary: Shortly after Peeta returns to District 12. Katniss's POV of trying to put him back together again. Enjoy! FINAL CHAPTER UPLOADED...Sorry for the wait :
1. Chapter 1

The decadent smell of cinnamon rolls drowsily pulls me out of my big, comfy bed. I allow a smile to creep up on me before I realize that if there are cinnamon rolls being made, that can only mean that Peeta is downstairs. What does this mean? I'll think about that while I eat. I stumble down the steps, stopping when I get to the bottom. He's right there, in the kitchen, in his pajamas. Why?

"I couldn't sleep." He answers my unspoken question. "I thought you might want some breakfast."

"I'd love some breakfast." He looks at me for the first time today, and I can see the trace of a smile on his lips. Then I notice his eyes. Oh, how I missed his eyes so much. Clear, and kind, and happy. I pretend not to ignore the slightly tortured look in them threatening to surface. Suddenly, words start to tumble out of my mouth again. "Peeta, I know we're not just going to go back to normal. I don't even know what normal is anymore. But we can't pretend." He is still looking at me, although now he is curious. I stare down at the floor, because I don't know what to do next.

"If we're not going to be playing pretend, Katniss, then I need to know what's real." He pauses before speaking again. "There's still a lot of things I can't recall. If we're not going to be doing any pretending, then I need your help."

I realize that we're standing closer together than I thought. He is right in front of me, reaching out to caress my cheek. I let him. "Are we real?" He whispers. I answer him by leaning forward and gently kissing him on the lips.

Before I know what I'm doing, my hands are in his hair, pulling him closer to me. I hadn't realized how much I missed his gentle touch, his sparkling blue eyes. He tastes like cinnamon, like happiness. _My happiness. _I need this. I need him. And suddenly, I know the answer to his question. "We are most definitely real." I whisper back.

"Good." He smiles. "Maybe we can start from there." He hands me a plate. "Hungry?" He asks. I nod, and he puts the biggest cinnamon roll on my plate. It's the best tasting thing I've had in ages, and I proceed to eat another one. Every once in a while, I actually have to remind myself to chew.

"So what do you want to do today?" I ask. He hesitates for a moment, takes a bite of his cinnamon roll, and turns to me.

"I haven't walked through town yet. I know it might be hard, but-"

"We promised, no pretending." I finish for him. He smiles.

"Ya." He says. "We did, didn't we?"

The cinnamon rolls are ate, the dishes are washed, and I'm standing on my front step with Peeta. I can't help but recall the first moments that I saw the remains of District 12. That in itself was difficult enough, and Peeta lost his family in the bombing. I wonder if this will bring on a flashback. Should I try to stay near people, in case I need help? No. Peeta promised me that we are real, and that means that I trust him. He deserves that. He deserves more than that, too, but trust is all I can promise him at the moment. We start to walk.

When we reach the edge of town, Peeta takes a shaky breath. I slip my small, scarred hand in his strong, warm one and we continue walking. He sees the mutilated remains of citizens scattered across the barren wasteland that used to be District 12. Suddenly, he stops dead in his tracks and drops my hand. I know what is happening even before he does, although I have never been with him when he had a flashback before. _What should I do?_ I wonder. Peeta crumples to the ground, whispering things to himself like "Not a murderer" and "This is not real". I stand, watching him, trying to figure out what I should do. We're real, right? That means I should help him. He needs me to get through this.

"Peeta?" I ask gently. "Can you…can you h-hear me?" I try desperately to get through to him.

He clenches and unclenches his fists. "K-Katni-Katniss?" He manages to get out. I kneel down beside him.

"Yes Peeta, I'm right here. Are you ok?" I somehow find strength in my voice, and then I realize why. It's Peeta. The boy with the bread has given me a strength that I hadn't realized I possessed until just now, when he needed that strength from me. "Peeta…I love you." I breathe. _Did that really just come out of my mouth? Yes. _The impact of this realization hits me full-force and the air is knocked out of me. _I love Peeta._ Now that I have said it, I realize that nothing is more true than this. Why didn't I see it before?

Peeta looks up, the tortured look in his eyes replaced with joy. "Really?" He breathes.

"Really." I whisper. The smile on his face is bigger than it's ever been before. He is practically beaming. This makes me smile too.

He takes a deep breath. "Katniss…" He begins. "I don't deserve you. Once his words sink in, I can't help but laugh out loud. He looks at me quizzically.

"Peeta, don't ever think that. You deserve much, much better than me. _I'm _the one that doesn't deserve _you_. Haymitch even says so himself." I add with a twinkle in my eye. Peeta laughs. Not a fake laugh, not a that-wasn't-funny laugh, but a real, throaty laugh that makes me believe for just a second that I might just be able to get the old Peeta back, if I try hard enough. I put my hand in his once again, and we continue walking.


	2. Chapter 2

Once we make it past the Seam, it gets easier. Peeta relaxes. Now that I've admitted to myself that I love him, I know that I can help him get through this. But once we reach the site of the old bakery, all of my hopes crumble. _What if he has another flashback?_ I can't help but wonder. He sees it, too, and gets a firm grip on my hand before we slowly walk up to the ashes of what used to be Peeta's entire world. When he falls to his knees, I fall with him. At first, I think he is having a flashback, but then I see the pain etched on his face, the tears rolling down his cheeks. I wrap my arms around him and he buries his head in my neck, sobbing quietly.

"What do I do, Katniss?" He manages to get out between the tears.

"You do what they would've wanted you to do." I say quietly. "Live your life. They love you. And they don't want your missing them to get in the way of living." I realize that I need to start living by my own rules, too. I've been letting the loss of Prim put my life on hold. It's not what she would have wanted. I realize that Peeta has stopped crying.

"Does the pain ever go away?" He asks in such a small and innocent voice. I swallow hard before answering.

"It just dulls after a while. But there are people in your life that make you realize it will get better someday." He pulls me in for a long, smoldering kiss heavy with charred coal dust. I take his face in my hands and wipe the tears away.

"I love you." He whispers. I kiss him again.

I watch the wisps of steam rise from fresh-from-the-oven cheese bread as Peeta sits it on the dining room table and realize that it means so many things to me. Warmth, hope, content. I need this, I need all of it…especially Peeta. Over these past few weeks I've realized that he means so much to me, so much more than I had ever anticipated. And, for the first time in my short, confused, bitter life, it feels good to need somebody so greatly. Really, really good.

"What are you thinking?" Peeta asks with a smirk. Apparently I'm not the first one to realize that I've allowed myself to smile while thinking about the boy with the bread.

"Oh, nothing." I say quietly. Peeta still seems curious, but he must decide to let it slide because he starts to slice the bread with a skill that only a baker's son could have. Once again, I'm thinking about Peeta. Maybe I've started to cross the line from love to delirium. But all thoughts running through my head are silenced when I bite into the warm, gooey cheese sitting atop fresh bread. Times like these make me thankful that Peeta's therapy of choice is baking.

_My eyelids flutter open. Where am I? But it doesn't take long to figure out. The warm, sticky air, the green foliage surrounding me. It's the Quarter Quell arena, no doubt. _

"_Peeta?" I whisper, but I am only greeted with silence. I jump up in a panick, running where I can only hope Peeta is. I knock plants this way and that, hoping I will be greeted with those big blue eyes I could swim in for days, sunkissed blond hair just begging me to run my hands through it… _

_All my questions are answered when I sweep some large green leaves to the side and see Peeta lying on the ground, his eyes wide with fear. I'm about to tell him that it's okay, that I'm hear, that I love him, when I see a large, dark shadow emerging from a gray mist. I lunge forward when I see Clove pin Peeta to the ground with a knife to his throat. I reach for my arrows, but Cato's hand stops me. He drags me closer to Peeta and forces my eyes on him. I can only watch in horror as Clove carves intricate designs all over Peeta. I can see the light fading from his beautiful blue eyes and I try to call to him, to get to him, to do anything, when I find that I have no voice. I gasp for breath, sounding like a fish out of water. I have just watched Peeta die in front of me. I gasp uncontrollably._

"Katniss? Katniss, are you okay? It was just a nightmare Katniss, please, wake up. Please." Peeta's beautifully pained voice reaches me somehow. He is trying to shake me awake. I bolt strait up in the bed, almost knocking into him. _It was just a nightmare._

Then the shaking starts. I tremble uncontrollably, unable to stop the horrible images from coming to the forefront of my mind. I see every single one of their faces, every person I have killed. Hot tears slide down my face and I can feel Peeta's strong arms wrap around me. I nuzzle into his neck, trying to hide from the rest of the world, but no matter what I can't stop the tears from coming and neither can he.

"Tell me about it, Katniss. Sometimes that helps." Says Peeta.

"I c-can't. It's just too h-hard." I sob into his shoulder. Peeta's warmth envelopes me as he tightens his grip around me.

"Katniss, I love you. Please tell me what happened." I find myself telling him everything, choking on my words as I talk because I am still crying.

"It's okay, Katniss. I'm right here." He says when I'm finished. I look up into those big blue eyes. I swear I could get lost in them. They are so clear and pure, I feel like I can see all the way to his soul. It amazes me that Peeta doesn't try to cover it up. I take in every single one of his stunning features, so beautiful and colorful and warm, and I'm not surprised when my gaze lands on his soft pink lips.

Again, I'm not surprised when I find myself kissing them. They're perfect, so perfect. I love them. I love him. I love every single thing about him, all of his wonders and imperfections. He buries his face in my long dark hair, now without it's braid. I mold my body into his, and we lay there, clutching each other like a lifeline.

"I love you." I whisper. The last thing I remember before falling asleep is his smile against my bare shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! Before you read this, I have to admit…I had pretty much given up on this story until I decided that maybe, just maybe, I can pull this off. But I need reviews, people! (:**

My heavy eyelids slowly flutter open. I roll over and see Peeta has woken up as well. He plants a wet kiss on my forehead and, for some reason, I find myself smiling. I've been doing way too much of that lately.

"C'mon, we can't just lounge around all day." Peeta says, jumping out of bed. Figures, him being a baker's son and all. He turns and looks at me expectantly. I grunt and furrow deeper into the warm blankets, forming a cocoon around my body. Seeing this, Peeta just laughs and pulls the blankets off the bed.

"Humph." I curl into a ball, trying to conserve my own body heat.

"Would you like me to help you?" Peeta asks. I nod my head vigorously. Before I know it, Peeta's scooping me up into his toned arms, wedding style. Not that I'm objecting or anything. As a large cinnamon roll is placed in front of me, I think of Haymitch. I haven't visited him yet, and I wonder how he's doing. Drowning in alcohol, no doubt. But he hasn't had someone to look after him, or make him cinnamon rolls every morning. Suddenly I know what I'm going to do today.

"I'm going to visit Haymitch." I announce triumphantly. Peeta gives me a look, but doesn't say anything. He just packs some cinnamon rolls in a basket and gives me a kiss on the cheek. I skip all the way to Haymitch's run down, dreary house. I find him sitting at the kitchen table, passed out as usual, clutching his knife. I retreat to the cabinet over the sink, finding that familiar plastic pitcher and filling it with water. Haymitch yelps and jumps in the air at the sensation of the cold water hitting him. Seeing him stand up, fall down, and attempt to stand again, I conclude that he must have been out for a few days. I wrestle the knife out of his hand and toss it in the trash. Somehow Haymitch makes it to the couch, and I grab a cinnamon roll out of the basket and give it to him.

"I see lover boy's been at work." He slurs.

"Well, I'd prefer he bake nonstop then drink nonstop." I retort.

"Would you know, sweetheart? That can't be the only reason you came to visit me."

I sigh. Might as well spit it out now. "I came to get your advice."

"Ah, I see. Came to seek the advice of your wise mentor." He snorts.

"Do you see anybody else I can go to?" That shuts him right up.

He finishes the cinnamon roll and rubs the back of his neck with his hands. "Ok, shoot."

"I want to rebuild the bakery. For Peeta." I say, and it's true. I know Peeta would love it, but it's just too painful. If I do it _for_ him, on the other hand, I'm sure he'd love it.

"Well, then what are you waiting fo-"

"Will you help me?" I blurt out before he can finish. Haymitch snorts, assuming that I'm joking, but when he see's that I'm serious he shifts in his seat, pondering this. After a few moments of silence, he nods his head slowly.

"Great. Let's get started."


	4. Chapter 4

** Three cheers for FLUFF(: Woot Woot!**

** This chapter takes place about three weeks later from the previous chapter.**

_3:00._

_ 2:59._

_ 2:58…_

_ Hurry up, already!_

"Katniss, would you please step away from the oven?" Peeta smirks at my reluctance to look away from his newest batch of fudge brownies, my newest obsession. "You know, it helps to distract yourself while waiting for the timer to go off." I smile ever so lightly. Peeta Mellark, my dandelion in the spring, my hope for the future, is back. I think back to Gale, with whom I could never imagine loving as much as I do Peeta. It's odd, really, that me, of all people, ended up falling in love with him (it's too late for denying it now; I'm practically ecstatic, waiting for just the right moment to show Peeta the bakery). That me, Katniss Everdeen, who's calloused hands have killed countless forest animals to survive, would need Peeta Mellark, who's kindness and loving demeanor is always bringing smiles to District 12. While I ponder this, Peeta starts planting small, wet kisses at the base of my neck. When he wraps his arms around me, I wriggle around in his strong grasp until I'm facing him, or in other words, his lips…

The timer goes off all too soon, and if it weren't for my excitement over showing Peeta my surprise, I would've let them burn without a second thought.

"Come on, let's take them to Greasy Sae!" I'm jumping up and down, moving the brownies to a Ziploc container before bounding out the door and down the front steps, towards the square. I've been keeping Peeta from going into town for the last three weeks, making up household chores here and there or moving him into my house, a task in which involved many heavy hearts and tear-filled apologies. Finally, after speaking it over with Thom and his growing construction crews, the small bakery that Haymitch and I designed is finally built.

Peeta is laughing as he pulls the front door closed. "Okay, already! You'd think we were running a race." He tries to catch up with me, and I allow myself to laugh at his attempts to keep from tripping over his artificial leg. We walk along the only slightly worn Victors' Village path and make our way towards the square.

"Peeta, let's go the long way. You know, see how they're rebuilding District 12." He hesitates, knowing that if we do go the long way we'll be passing by the bakery. But when I do that thing where I loop my fingers around his neck and nuzzle his jaw, he doesn't give it a second thought.

_...5 buildings left. _

"Looks like they've got the grocery store up and running." I sigh. Peeta's only been pointing out the construction progress on the left side of Main Street, completely avoiding the right side.

_…4 buildings left._

"Ya, they've really done a nice job with it." I say nonchalantly.

_…3, 2, 1…_

Peeta sucks in a breath, trembling. I bring our looped fingers up to my mouth and kiss his hand. "Peeta, look." I bite my lip…and wait.

"Katniss…" Thom really did an excellent job with the bakery. It looks the same as it did before, even with the same 'Mellark and Sons Bakery' sign above the door.

"Go in." I see his shaking hand, the one that's not holding onto mine, reach for the handle. We walk in and Peeta looks around, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm sure it's not exactly the same as it was before, but Haymitch and I have only been in here a handful of times so we just kind of tried to throw our memories of it together." He only responds by squeezing my hand, but only barely. Terror runs through me. "Do you hate it? If you don't want it, I'm sure they could change it into something else. We won't ever have to come here again, I swear-" Peeta's lips are on mine before I can continue. His hands are on my neck, running through my hair, finally resting on my hips. When we break for air, he finally speaks.

"It's perfect." I smile into his shoulder.

"I love you, Peeta." It's the first time I say it aloud, but we both know it won't be the last.

**The End! I really enjoyed writing this story and I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. In other Hunger Games news…did you hear about Jennifer Lawrence being cast as Katniss? Of course you did! It's **_**everywhere.**_** Personally, I'm happy Jennifer got the part, instead of Hailee Steinfeld…I wasn't really a fan of her. Now they just need to cast Hunter Parrish or Alex Pettyfer as Peeta and we'll have ourselves a movie! (:**

** Don't forget to review please! Reviews make my day(:**


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